Thousands flee Gaza City as Israeli forces begin ground operations, residents say

The Israeli military has begun ground operations in Gaza City as part of a broader offensive aimed at seizing the area, prompting thousands of families to attempt to flee amid intense bombardment, residents and officials said.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a "powerful operation" had been launched in Gaza City, which he described as Hamas's last major stronghold. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it was "gradually" moving into the city as part of the next phase of its offensive and that air and ground forces would participate, with troop numbers increasing "day-by-day." The military designated the al-Rashid coastal road as the only permitted route for civilians to evacuate.

Residents described severe congestion on evacuation routes, long queues of cars and trucks and extended delays as airstrikes continued overhead. Lina al-Maghrebi, 32, a mother of three from the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, told the BBC she had resisted leaving her home until she received a phone call from an Israeli officer ordering her to evacuate. She said she had been forced to sell jewellery to cover the costs of displacement and a tent, and that the drive to Khan Younis took about ten hours.

Many people fleeing said displacement costs had risen far beyond what most households can afford. Residents reported that renting a small truck now costs roughly 3,000 shekels and that a tent for a family of five sells for about 4,000 shekels. With incomes largely cut off since the war began, some families were forced to walk for miles or remain in their homes despite the risks.

Overnight into Tuesday, Israeli warplanes carried out a wave of heavy airstrikes across Gaza City, with concentrated bombardment reported in the central al-Daraj neighbourhood, the Beach refugee camp in the west and Sheikh Radwan in the north. The attacks were accompanied by artillery fire, drone strikes and helicopter gunship activity. Residents described the bombardment as relentless and said whole residential blocks had been flattened.

Ghazi al-Aloul, a displaced resident from northern Gaza, said he was sleeping at the entrance of al-Quds Hospital in Tel al-Hawa after leaving the home where his family had sheltered for nearly a month. "I did not choose this," he said. "I was forced." Sami Abu Dalal, from al-Daraj, said the night had been "extremely difficult," reporting that buildings had been levelled on top of inhabitants and that many were dead, missing or injured. He said he believed Israeli forces were advancing on three fronts and that booby-trapped vehicles, intense airstrikes and heavy shelling accompanied the ground push.

Nivin Imad al-Din, 38, a mother of five, said she fled south after Israeli warplanes dropped evacuation leaflets in her neighbourhood, though her husband refused to leave. She said leaving furniture and possessions behind was the hardest decision she had made.

The IDF said it would continue to combine air and ground operations and expand troop deployments as it pursues its objectives in Gaza City. Israeli officials have framed the operation as targeting Hamas infrastructure and fighters concentrated in the city.

A United Nations commission of inquiry recently released a report concluding that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Israeli authorities categorically rejected the findings. International organisations and governments have issued repeated appeals for protection of civilians and unimpeded humanitarian access amid the intensifying military campaign.

Humanitarian conditions in Gaza have deteriorated since the war began, with shortages of fuel, food, water and medical supplies complicating efforts to shelter and treat the displaced. Hospitals have reported being overwhelmed by casualties and limited by dwindling resources.

As evacuations continue under the conditions set by the military, residents said they faced difficult choices between risking remaining in their homes under escalating bombardment or undertaking costly, crowded and hazardous journeys south in search of safety. The situation in Gaza City remains fluid, with the military indicating further phases of the operation will involve increased ground presence and continued strikes.